Thursday, April 20, 2017

Sentencing reform bill has its own disparities.

Governor Phil Bryant vetoed a so-called "criminal justice reform" bill. The do-gooders patted themselves on the back as they crowed about how they were going to bring some true justice to the criminal justice system in Mississippi. However, HB #1033 takes aim at communities that try to protect their families from crime in the name of a "disparate sentencing" study. 



This bill creates a "Mississippi Sentencing Disparity Task Force".  Get ready, Madison and Rankin counties.  This bill is going to use the "possible disparity in sentencing" to promote "uniform justice".  Translation? The task force will compare your efficient criminal justice system that keeps crime rates low to the catch & release program in Hinds County.  Let that one percolate in your head for awhile.

Section 8(2) (Line 360) specifies who will sit on the task force.  The task force will have twelve members. Notice who is not serving on the  task force as you read through the appointments.  The number of appointments are in parenthesis.


*Speaker of the House (2).  Must be representatives.
*Leftenant Governor (2). Must be senators.
*Governor (2)
*Commissioner of MDOC or representative
*Attorney General or representative
*Director of a "faith-based" organization involved in a re-entry program OR someone appointed by Lieutenant Governor.
*Chief Justice of Mississippi Supreme Court
*Chairman of the Parole Board
*Former offender appointed by the Chairman of the Parole Board.

There are NO prosecutors on this task force.  There are NO Sheriffs or law enforcement officials on this task force.  There are NO trial court judges on this task force.  In other words, the people who deal with criminals every day, get their hands dirty catching them, prosecuting them, and protecting their communities, are completely left off of this task force. The Chief Justice will thus pronounce judgment from his ivory tower while the Circuit Judge who has to see murder photos, stone-cold killers who laugh about their crimes, and weeping victims is ignored by this task force.  Now THAT is some disparate treatment.

Forest Thigpen brags about this "reform" bill but mentions absolutely nothing about this task force in his column published in the Clarion-Ledger last week.  One can only wonder why it was not mentioned.  

This task force that is disparate is several ways is what these bumbling do-gooders call "reform".  They tell us this is a good thing.  The do-gooders have more representation on this board than the Sheriff who has to protect his community from robbers and rapists.  Yet this is what The Preacher, the Do-Gooders, and Wonderboy are doing with this bill:  Ignore those who try to protect us while empowering those who have an interest in passing out Get Out of Jail Free cards.

Think I am being too harsh? Well, think about this:  Judge Tomie Green's blessings will be compared to Rankin County justice.  Does anyone think this task force will recommend increasing sentences? 

Kingfish note:   The main problem Mississippi, and especially the Jackson metro area, has with crime is catch and release.  Education programs in prison are a good thing.  Making prisoners get GED's or learn a trade is welcome.  If a felon can't work, he is more likely to go back to a life of crime.   However, these do-gooders and their reforms such as this bill and HB #585 has made catch and release more likely.  As more criminals qualify for parole upon serving just 25% of their sentences thanks to these bills, expect crime to increase.  Of course, when these guys go out and commit more crimes, MDOC complains too many judges are revoking probation.  The judges have also figured out that Ten years equals two and a half years so guess what? They are imposing longer sentences so the criminals don't go back out on the street within a year. 

There are better ways to accomplish the goals of helping convicts succeed once they get out of prison.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

As someone attempting to follow Christ's example, I find the inclusion of a "faith based" person to be a very scary precedent to set. Who in the world thinks that a government imposed "faith based" anything is a good idea? Of course if you are going to introduce a really bad idea as law might as well hit all the high points!

I don't have any kind words to describe our state "leadership"...

Kingfish said...

I'm a big fan of Charles Colson's Prison Fellowship Ministries.

However, I could just imagine the outcry if a Governor appointed a Nation of Islam or Muslim faith-based organization representative.

Anonymous said...

Agree on Colson's ministry, but I'm completely opposed to the government being able to shove any idealism down my throat. They could pick some "Christian" from a Westboro type church, some dude from my church or some Sharia law person and I'd be equally indignant!

Anonymous said...

kf - accept your example, but why can't the disparity work the other way just as easily. Comparing Judge Green's C&R program to the effective system of Madison and Rankin County judges. Instead of assuming that the study would result in a lowering of the sentencing of the neighboring counties, could it not just as easily call for stricter sentencing of Hinds County courts?

Anonymous said...

Joel "Jesus " BONGar finally got a bill passed with his name on it. The two things he has tried to do in the legislature is pass marijuana legislation and gets criminals out of jail. The Koch "Choke" brothers and Russ Latino are so proud now of their golden boy Joel, Madison on the other hand is fed up.

Anonymous said...

Gipson is one weird dude. First he wants anyone, including criminals to be able to conceal carry, them he doesn't want you to have have grounds for divorce if your spouse beats the crap out of you and then he wants to help criminals get out of jail. He says he is a republican but he screams LIBERAL NUT JOB!!!

Anonymous said...

Along with no prosecutors, there are also no Public Defenders on the task force.

Anonymous said...

KF, perhaps if someone of Muslim faith were appointed, we could chop off the hands of robbers and other parts for rapists.

Anonymous said...

Last time I checked the Attorney General was the head prosecutor of the State of Mississippi.

Anonymous said...

So Mr. KF, what are your suggestions? What are the "better ways" to help people get employment? Because sitting in prison for years for drug possession isn't helping anyone. Prison is not rehabilitating these people.

Anonymous said...

Good Bomgar and Gipsons bill was trying to do away with non violent habitual offender status, I.e. 3 strikes gets you another round at bat. This group of republicans have done their best to legalize theft.

The disparity committee is an attempt to shut down the DA's offices that actually hit home runs and make them play small ball.

Thank You Governor Bryant said...

Phil Bryant's Veto Message.

Anonymous said...

@2:47 I thought the penitentiary was a form of punishment (penance)? Why do we have to rehabilitate? How do you teach a grown man not to lie, cheat, steal, and kill? I thought these things were inate on some level.

Anonymous said...

What a shame that the governor vetoed this bill. It would not have affected parole eligibility for robbery or theft- those are violent crimes. We cannot incarcerate ourselves out of the problem of drug addiction. It makes zero sense to keep locking people up for drug use.

Kingfish said...

The flaw in your thinking is that you think non-violent automatically means drug crimes. It does not and frankly, no one is going to prison for smoking a little bit of weed.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful! Would Chris Epps be the convicted felon?

Anonymous said...

Everyone always says drugs. So, let the legislature, legalize drugs. But you can't legalize theft. Making a joke out of sentencing and punishment is a recipe for crime rates to rise.

Truth in sentencing was passed because of astronomical crime rates. This legislature has raised the threshold for felonies and lowered the penalties. Cut armed robbery, carjacking, drive by shooting, and kidnapping from day for day time to 50% time, tried to do away with recidivist sentencing...but they back the blue.

This is how we end up with Democratic legislatures, the supermajority turns into a bunch of clowns that don't offer the basic functions of government, protecting citizens from crime and providing infrastructure.

This group is too busy trickling down at Tico's.

Anonymous said...

What GipDumb and Bong-ar don't understand is....if these people would stop committing crimes...they wouldn't be in jail. GipDumb rammed this bill through his committee. What a POS. Everyone knows Bomgar is a fool and is liked by no one, what is surprising is GipDumb is following in his footsteps.

Anonymous said...

There has been mountains of research on crime and criminals over the decades.
Some of the best has been done by the FBI.
There are cities and towns that have succeeded in reducing crime.
It'd be nice if those who assume the responsibility to make recommendations would bother to inform themselves on the subject.



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